Cobra Moto’s Casey Cochran Wins Loretta’s

Cobra Moto’s Casey Cochran has completed one of the more memorable comeback efforts in the 34-year history of the Rocky Mountain ATV/MC Amateur Motocross Championships, presented by AMSOIL. The nine-year-old raced to an impressive 51cc Sr. 7-9 class championship at Loretta Lynn’s Ranch this past weekend.

Cobra Moto's Casey Cochran action — Casey Cochran

Cochran’s 51cc Sr. class victory, coupled with William Canaguier’s 4-6 51cc Jr. class championship, gave Cobra Moto a sweep of the premier 51cc class titles at Loretta’s this year – sealing one of the better amateur national championship runs in recent years for the Michigan-based and American-made Cobra Moto factory.

“I can’t say enough about Casey’s effort this past week at Loretta’s,” said Cobra Moto President Sean Hilbert. “That’s easily one of the more incredible comebacks I’ve ever witnessed. It speaks volumes for how tough and determined the kid is.”

Cochran went 2^nd/2^nd in the opening motos, then his speed and consistency paid off in the decisive third moto – which he won to claim the overall title. Cobra Moto’s Krystian Janik would race to 2^nd place behind Cochran in the third moto, locking down the third and final podium spot and giving Cobra Moto the title and two out of three podium positions to go with seven out the top ten places in the 51cc Sr. class!

“Definitely one of the more successful years we’ve had with our 51cc senior racers at Loretta’s in some time,” added Hilbert.

In the 51cc Jr. class Cobra Moto racers, as usual, swept the podium, the top ten … top 15 … 25 … and all the way through 31^st place, having qualified 40 of the 42 bikes entered under the Cobra Moto marque. Leading the little guys’ charge for Cobra Moto were Canaguier and Sam Garroutte, who went 2^nd/1^st/2^nd for 2^nd place overall. Rounding out the 51cc Jr. 4-6 class was another fast Californian on a Cobra CXJR, Manuel Dumais.

And on the 65s Cobra Moto was led by top five finishes in the hotly-contested 7-9 class by California’s Parker Ross (4^th) and Wisconsin’s Johnny Weber (5^th).

The Sturgis Motorcycle Museum and Hall of Fame recently named Marilyn Stemp and Steve Piehl to its board of directors.

Stemp is a pioneering figure in the motorcycle industry, founding IronWorks Magazine with her late husband, Dennis, and becoming the first female editor of a nationally circulated, mainstream motorcycle magazine. She also revived their trade magazine, Iron Trader News; edits the monthly Kiwi Indian News; contributes to several powersports media outlets; and is the founding editor of Sturgis Rider Daily. Stemp is a noted editor and writer of several motorcycle-focused books. Her consistent support for charitable efforts in the industry include the annual Biker Belles Celebration, Las Vegas BikeFest and as campaign chair for the Sturgis Motorcycle Museum’s development plan in 2014. She co-founded the Flying Piston charity events taking place in Daytona and Sturgis each year and is a National Ambassador for All Kids Bike. Stemp was inducted into both the Las Vegas Motorcycle Hall of Fame and the Sturgis Museum's Hall of Fame in 2018, and in 2022 she was recognized as one of the Top 100 Women in Powersports by DealerNews.